Sir Elton John has signed a deal to publish "the very personal story" of how AIDS affected his life.

The book, which will be called Love Is The Cure: Ending The Global AIDS Epidemic, will include his memories of friends including Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (pictured) who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1991.

Sir Elton said: "This is a disease that must be cured not by a miraculous vaccine, but by changing hearts and minds, and through a collective effort to break down social barriers and to build bridges of compassion.

"Why are we not doing more? This is a question I have thought deeply about, and wish to answer - and to help change - by writing this book."

Money raised by sales of the book will go to his charity AIDS foundation which has raised millions of pounds since it was set up in 1992.

The book, described by publishers Hodder and Stoughton as "the very personal story of Sir Elton's life during the AIDS epidemic", will be published in July along with an audio book read by the singer.